Description

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 16. Anterior nostril a short tube with simple cirrus on posterior rim; posterior end of maxilla of adult males produced as a thin flexible lamina that usually extends beyond posterior margin of opercle; spinous dorsal fin with a dark spot encircled by broad white ring; adult males with inner lining of maxilla and adjacent membranes with two dark stripes (innermost stripe not well developed), no stripes in females; buccal pigmentation consisting of a dark blotch on either side of esophageal opening widely separated by pale median area that continues between upper pharyngeals; caudal vertebrae 19 (Ref. 26893).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Ovalentaria/misc

Family: Opistognathidae

Genus: Opistognathus

Species: Opistognathus cuvierii Valenciennes, 1836

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Occurs in coastal waters, on gravel and sand or silt and sand bottoms, near coral reefs and rocky areas and observed resting on the bottom or in burrows (Ref. 129348). Mouthbrooders (Ref. 240).

Habitat

associated